Vulkan Acatenango 4x4

Overall, this was not worth the money. I feel like I paid $250 to be miserable, cold, and bored. And there were rats in the cabins. Seeing the eruptions was really cool, but to me, not worth the rest. And I’m an outdoorsy, hiker, adventurous person who has traveled to over 30 countries. Some of this was due to the incorrect expectations - I thought this would involve riding ATVs because Viator lists it as an ATV tour, and I thought the base camp would be really fun. Instead we were packed into 4x4 trucks and honestly, the base camp was pretty rough. The guides discouraged us from doing the hike to Fuego or the sunrise hike to the summit, telling us it was a 10/10 difficulty. I really regret listening to him. Everyone who did it said it was fine, and I just ended up sitting around base camp with nothing to do for hours. The shelters were A-frame wooden structures with wood platforms and a mat on top to sleep on - 5 people to a cabin. And there were rats in them. There was no campfire or sense of community at the base camp. The guides were not personable or fun. Food was better than expected from reviews I read, but it was not a lot. Breakfast was a piece of bread with jam. As a final straw, I paid 300Q for a porter to carry my backpack because I have a shoulder injury. They carried it up, but in the morning told me I would have to pay another 300Q to carry it down, which was not told to me at the beginning. Overall, I regret doing this trek and would not recommend spending your money on this.

They stated they had English tour guides yet no one spoke any English. Everything was very unclear with very limited communication which was significantly worsened by the lack of English. This made it very hard and the whole trip very confusing. They should not advertise English tour guides if these are not provided. No equipment was clean. Jackets were very limited and all very thin material. They forgot us at the pickup location despite us being there waiting and watching them drive off without us. They insulted us (which we were told by one of the other members of the group who was having to translate everything for us). They didn’t provide enough space in the 4x4 . They didn’t let us do both fuego and the sunrise hike despite telling us before we could and making us pay for it. We had to choose between the 2 despite it being advertised as being able to do both. We told them before my friend suffered from asthma yet none of the tour guides knew or cared. There were rats in our bed. My friend woke up to one on her pillow. Tour guides spent more time flirting with one another than helping us. Tour guide was also texting on WhatsApp whilst driving. Would not recommend.

DO NOT BOOK UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. MONEY HUNGRY COMPANY! Had a medical emergency the night before and had to be hospitalized which my daughter then contacted the company to cancel over 17 hours in advance. They would not accomodate changing the date to a future date upon my daughters return to Guatemala in November, nor would they refund the money. I have been on many tours and do lots of reviews, never have I experienced such non-compassion or an unwillingness to help accomodate future plans. They offered a partial refund but no credit for future tours. They lost no money over this yet refuse to give a full refund. My professional advice, find another tour operator. My daughter was already in distress from my medical emergency but now also has a financial loss. Just shameful behavior!

They stated the tour had English tour guides yet no one spoke any English. Everything was very unclear with very limited communication as to what we were doing and where we were going. this was significantly worsened by the lack of English. No equipment was clean. Jackets were very limited all very thin material They forgot us at the pickup location despite us being there waiting and watching them drive off without us. They insulted us (which we were told by one of the other members of the group who was having to translate everything for us). They didn’t provide enough space in the 4x4 . They didn’t let us do both fuego and the sunrise hike despite telling us before we could and making us pay for it. We had to choose between the 2 despite it being advertised as being able to do both. We told them before my friend suffered from asthma yet none of the tour guides knew or cared. There were rats in our bed. My friend woke up to one on her pillow. Tour guides spent more time flirting with one another than communicating with us. Tour guide was texting on WhatsApp whilst driving.

I had one of the best experiences of my life with Josue. I hiked Acatenango and then continued on to Fuego, something I will never forget. Josue was incredibly helpful, friendly, and made sure I had everything I needed, from hiking sticks to food and constant support along the way. He truly went above and beyond. He quickly became more than just a guide, he felt like a friend, as did the rest of the group. I loved that it was a smaller group because it made the experience feel more personal, warm, and connected. This was definitely one of the hardest hikes of my life, but Josue never gave up on me. He kept encouraging me every step of the way, which made all the difference. I highly recommend this experience for solo travelers or groups, you really do bond and end up making lifelong travel friends. And honestly, I cannot even begin to describe what it feels like to see the volcano in person. It is something you have to experience for yourself.

Very patient in answering our questions. It would be even better if we can stay longer and still climb to closer to the Fuego when it cleared up a bit...

This was honestly one of the most unforgettable experiences I’ve ever had. The hike was challenging but absolutely worth it — seeing the volcano erupt in real time was incredible. Our guide was extremely professional, patient, and well-organized throughout the entire trip. Everything felt safe and well-planned, even in difficult weather conditions. You can tell they have a lot of experience and truly care about making sure everyone has a great time. The views were breathtaking, especially at night when you can see the lava clearly — something I don’t think photos can fully capture. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Highly recommend this tour if you’re visiting Guatemala. Huge thanks again to the team for making this trip so special!

+3

From start to finish this was an amazing experience. The guides were friendly, helpful and encouraging.

Definitely an adventure. Gorge the guide was awesome. Very supportive. Only complaint I have is that at the base camp they should have more chairs for people to sit on. There is only one bench that sits two people that needs more screws because its pretty wobbly. They could definitely set that up better.

Wonderful tour with JC and the owner.guide are experienced and nice .service are excellent, camp location also excellent for photographer